In the Dark of Night
by Dezarae
Summary: Chris, Wyatt, and Phoebe's daughter Melinda are finally out on their own. They move out of the house and buy a small house in the Las Angeles area. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, trouble follows them there.
1. The Ides of March

**Summery: Chris, Wyatt, and their cousin Melinda move out of the house and try life on their own. They have moved to Las Angeles, where Wyatt has a job as Crime Reporter at the L.A. Star. Chris has a job at the local restaurant Black Star. Melinda is still in college, with a part time job as a bar tender at a local club. They are also living with Chris's best friend (they have been friends since they were four), named Cecilia. Cecilia is out of college and starting a job as a school councilor.**

**Disclaimer: I most definitely do not own charmed.**

**So, without further ado, I give you my story:**

**In the Dead of Night.**

_In the dead of night, our darkest fears take hold. Sometimes when we're all alone, walking down the street, we here a strange noise or get a strange feeling in our guts telling us to run away. We put it aside thinking that we are being silly and there's nothing there that can hurt us. When I was little my mother used to tell me if I was afraid of monsters to chant this mantra: "you're not real, you can't hurt me." Being a little kid, this satisfied me in a way, even though I knew that the monsters were real, at least some of them were. It's a lesson that everyone needs to understand, not just us witches. We can't put aside our fears and pretend like they aren't real, because one day, maybe soon, maybe never, we will confront our worst fears dead on. And if you aren't prepared for them, they will cause a hell of a lot of damage. _

It was March 15th, 2024, and Julia Simmons was driving to her home on the east side of Boston. It was 3:30 in the morning and the freeway was completely devoid of any other cars. Outside the car the palm trees swayed with the night's gentle breeze. Julia wasn't a bit tired, even though she should have been. She had just completed her first 48 hour shift as a medical intern at Las Angeles General (Hospital). The adrenaline from the days before left her wide awake and itching to do something fun. She took her eyes off the road for a mere second and reached out to switch the radio station and when she looked up she gave a horrified scream and swerved to avoid hitting the man in the road.

She managed to pull over to the side of the road without causing any damage to her or the car, but the man was just laying there on the road. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed 911 as she ran to him, checking first to see if he was conscious and then checking for a pulse. She put her head down next to his mouth to see if she could hear him breathing, ready to perform CPR if needed. She relaxed a little as she found he was still breathing, and started to stand again so she could get the blanket she kept for emergencies out of her trunk. But as she started to maneuver around, the man's hand reached out with almost lightning speed and grabbed her forearm. Her eyes widened and she turned back to him trying to pull out of his grasp, but couldn't.

His eyes opened and she gasped as she saw a swirling black nothingness. "Beware," he croaked at her. "Beware the Ides of March." As he said this, he went limp, her arm still clutched in his deathly cold grasp. She pulled away and took a step back, not noticing the cloaked and hooded man, behind her. She backed right into him and screamed. There was a glint of silver metal as lightning flashed across the sky and she fell to the ground, eyes open wide, glazed over with surprise and terror.


	2. Moving Out

"Ok, boys, come give your mother a hug." Piper said sternly. She held her boys in her grasp for a few minutes before pulling back. "Now remember what I said, be careful. There are all sorts of demons out there. I don't want to hear that you were attacked on your first day, okay?"

"Yes mom, we know. You've told us a thousand times already." Wyatt said. He smiled at her. "We'll be fine, you know? We're big boys now, and if we do meet up with a demon, I'm pretty sure we'll be able to take care of it."

Piper nodded teary eyed. She turned to Leo, "Our boys are going out into the big bad world today."

He smiled softly and wrapped an arm around her waist. "They'll be fine."

"Hey! I am most definitely still here," said their 15 year old baby sister Prue.

"Of course you are, sweetie. And thank God for that, I don't think I'm ready to be childless."

"Guys, come on. We're going to college, well I'm going to college, Wy is going for a job; it's not like we're going to go take on the entire world of demons. We're just an orb away, anyways. We'll be fine. And besides, we're only going to Las Angeles! It's literally only a few hours away unless you use magical means to get there." Chris interjected.

"Well," Piper sputtered, "A mother can worry, cant she?"

They all laughed.

Across the room, a very similar scene was unfolding. Phoebe and Coop were having the same conversation with their oldest daughter Melinda Halliwell. Her siblings are surrounding them too.

"Now, you have to **Promise **me that you'll be careful. And listen to your cousins, because they are older than you. And don't go looking for trouble, don't talk to strangers, and don't trust everyone they might just be demons, and take care of yourself and…."

"Mom, I get it. I'll be careful, okay? I'm not five anymore. And just because Wy and Chris are older, does not mean they're more intelligent or stronger, I mean just look at them…"

"Melinda, I don't think that's what your mother meant. I think she is just going to miss you, and she said everything I was going to say. So make sure that you do what she said." Coop said sternly, "And be nice to your cousins, okay sweetie?" he added as an after thought.

She rolled her eyes and hugged them both.

"Are you sure I can't come with you?" asked a sweetly innocent voice from down below.

They all looked down. Melinda rolled her eyes. "I'm sure." she said with a snort as she knelt down on her knees and looked into her little sisters eyes. "You be good, okay Payton?"

Phoebe's five your old daughter looked at her older sister thoughtfully. "Okay." she decided after a while.

"And you too, Polly." She said to her 13 year old sibling.

Polly rolled her eyes and nodded, before hugging her sister.

Melinda turned to her parents again and hugged them one last time. "I love you Lady Bug," Phoebe whispered in her daughter's ear. Melinda just smiled and pulled away, and turned to wait for Chris and Wyatt.

In the middle of the room on the couches sat a very pregnant Paige, her husband Henry, and their twin daughters Patty and Penny; the twins were only 14, so none of Paige's close family was going away. But they had gathered to see off their family members who were going away. Paige stood up to give her nephew's and niece a hug.

"Now, you kids don't do anything good ol' Auntie Paige would do k? And I'm only an orb away if you need help or if you just need to talk. I love you guys, okay, and I fully expect you to be here when I give birth, understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Chris said cheekily, while Wyatt gave a mocking salute. Melinda rolled her eyes and said: "We wouldn't miss it for the world Aunt Paige."

The three finished saying their good byes and grabbed their duffels, and made as though to orb out (Melinda with help of course).

"Hey wait!" Piper called. They turned.

"Where's Cecilia?"

"Oh, she flew down last week," Melinda replied.

"She's still on her magic strike." Chris elaborated.

"Oh," Piper said, remembering her own attempted strike while trying to marry Leo.

"Yeah, she'll get over it soon I hope." Wyatt said pensively.

"Well, we better be going. Bye everybody."

There was a collective and resounding "Bye!!" and several waves, and kisses blown and yelled warnings of advice from worried Mothers'.

As the boys and Melinda disappeared, everyone was left with little to do. After a moment they all scattered into random corners of the house to do stuff. Piper turned to Leo and Phoebe. 

"I hope they get settled all right." she murmured biting at her index finger nail.

"Stop that! They'll be fine… Right?" she added hesitantly.

Piper seemed to somewhat come out of her state of worry, or at least she tried to cover it up by snapping out of her reverie.

"Of course they'll be fine. Who wants cookies?" she asked while retreating to her fortress.

Several children and teenage voices rang out with an affirmative yes. Phoebe looked at Leo who just shrugged. Exasperatedly she turned on her heel and went to sit on the couch with Paige.


	3. Of Big Plans and Strange Men

**Authors note: okay, so I just realized I wasn't really clear on what the date was. Because in the first chapter, it was like "Ides of March". That actually happened two days before March 15****th****. So these events are leading up to the bigger one on the 15****th****. I hope that clarifies a little bit. So here you go, CH. 2!**

**Ok, I was just kidding, I thought maybe you might be wondering about Cecilia and all of their powers and what not. Cecilia Thompson, grew up with her aunt and two brothers, four houses down from the Halliwells. She met Chris when they were four and his parents accidentally left him on the beach (which will be featured in a Story at a later date). They became fast friends, and have been so ever since. She is closest with Chris, but she is close to Melinda and Wyatt two. (Lol. I know this is a very imaginative and elaborate story. But I hope you like it)**

**I'll give you more about all their powers and stuff in upcoming chapters, for now, just go with it.**

As Chris and Wyatt orbed in with Philyna, Cecilia Thompson jumped and gasped in surprise.

"Jeez! Give a girl a heart attack why don't you?" she squeaked at them in agitation.

"Sorry, Celia," Chris said with a smile, so have you started unpacking yet? Making our home, homier?"

"Yeah, I did. And I met our neighbors, they were really nice. Especially the guy next door, said he'd stop by later to meet you guys."

"Oh, found a guy already, Celia?" Melinda said with a grin, bumping hips with her playfully.

"Actually, maybe." she replied seriously.

Wyatt rolled his eyes. "Uh huh; so Celia, you didn't take the biggest room did you? Because being oldest, I think I get the biggest room."

"Yes, Wy, I left you the biggest room. But you might wanna get it before Chris does," she said with a grin as Wyatt realized that Chris had taken off for the rooms.

There were four bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and two bathrooms in their medium sized house. They lived in the semi- expensive house, only with all their money pooled together (and a little financial aid from their parents and aunts). Cecilia had taken the bedroom next to Chris's and across from Wyatt, who was next to Melinda.

At roughly four o'clock, after spending 3 hours unpacking and settling in, they stopped to eat lunch. While they had been at home, Celia had gone grocery shopping, so Chris, taking after his mother, whipped up a little something something. As they were sitting down to the meal, they were surprised with a knock on their door.

"Who could that be? We've only been here for what 3 hours?" Wyatt complained.

"Oh, it's probably Alex."

"Alex??" Chris asked.

"Yeah, the guy from two doors down," she replied.

"Oooh, I see," Wyatt said teasingly.

"Shut up!" she cried, slapping him on the shoulder on her way past him.

Wyatt turned to Chris and Melinda, "Twenty bucks says he's a warlock."

"WYATT!!!" Melinda said, smacking him on the shoulder, coincidentally the same place that she had smacked him.

Wyatt winced as he rubbed his shoulder.

"He has a point though, all the guys she's been dating lately have been evil, or just plane jerks." Chris said pointedly.

"Speaking of evil," Melinda said. "Don't you find it strange that no demon or warlock has found out where we live and attacked us yet?"

"Maybe they just don't realize we've moved out," Wyatt stated hopefully.

"It's doubtful," Chris began. "They're always trying to get rid of you, being the Twice Blessed and all, and then occasionally they go after rest of us."

"Gee, thanks for raining on my parade." Wyatt said dryly.

"Hey, I was just being realistic." Chris said, holding his hands up defensively.

"Which means," Melinda began interrupting their bickering. "That they're just all down their somewhere planning something big."

"Oh that makes me feel soooo much better." Wyatt said wincing.

"I'm just saying…" Melinda replied with a shrug.

"Ok, new subject, this one is depressing me." Wyatt said firmly.

"Okay, how bout this one, what's taking Celia so long at the door?" Chris asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"They're probably just talking," Melinda said with a roll of her eyes. Boys, sometimes they were so juvenile.

"Yeah, sure, just put your money where your mouth is and be ready to pay up when I'm right."

"You're awful!" she cried.

"But he's also basing this off of past experience." Chris replied, taking his brothers side.

When they rounded the corner of the kitchen and entered their lush and currently unfurnished living room, they came face to face with a sight that shocked them.

There was Cecilia, their little, shy, short, blonde haired, blue eyed, quiet Cecilia. Entangled with a strange man they had never met. She was kissing him passionately, and he had his arms around her, pulling them close.

"Ahem…" Wyatt cleared his throat, eyes wide.

Cecilia pulled away from the man so fast that it made Melinda dizzy, and she pushed him away. "Erm…I can explain…" she said innocently.


	4. Demons!

**Ok, so I'm really really sorry this took so long. I've had some things I had to deal with, and I had writers block. But here are the next two chapters for your enjoyment!**

**-Also, there may have been some changes that don't make sense, I'm not sure; its been a long time. But I'll fix them!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own charmed.**

Ch. 4-

Previously-

_As they were sitting down to the meal, they were surprised with a knock on their door._

"_Who could that be? We've only been here for what 3 hours?" Wyatt complained._

"_Speaking of evil," Melinda said. "Don't you find it strange that no demon or warlock has found out where we live and attacked us yet?"_

"_Maybe they just don't realize we've moved out," Wyatt stated hopefully_

_Ahem…" Wyatt cleared his throat, eyes wide._

_Cecilia pulled away from the man so fast that it made Melinda dizzy, and she pushed him away. "Erm…I can explain…" she said innocently._

"I'd like to hear it," Melinda said arching her brow. "I'll bet it's a really good one."

Wyatt and Chris both waited impatiently for the excuse.

"Well, you see…." Cecilia trailed off nervously.

The man stepped forward, extending his hand first to Chris, an olive branch- so to speak.

"I'm Alex Simmons; I live a few houses down. Its nice to finally meet you, Cecilia has told me so much about you."

Chris glared at the proffered hand as though insulted by it. "Yeah, I'm sure she has. Nut right now, I think you should leave," he said motioning to the door.

"I agree with Chris," added Wyatt darkly, that strange feeling rolling around in his gut.

"Time to go Adam," he opened the door and made a shooing gesture.

"Umm…It's Alex." Alex said uncomfortably.

Cecilia was standing there with wide eyes, "Chris! Wyatt! Stop it!" she said in horror. The two of them just ignored her. she turned to Melinda, "A little help here?" she pleaded.

Melinda snorted at her, "Sorry, no can do. You know how they can get."

"Coward,"

Melinda just shrugged.

Alex turned to her, "Maybe I should just go." he said, clearly freaked out.

"Yeah," she said reluctantly. "Yeah go, but call me. I'll be ready for that rain check I took on the coffee."

He nodded, shifted nervous glances between Chris and Wyatt and high tailed it out of there.

As the door closed with a distinct thud, Cecilia rounded on the two boys with a rarely seen fury in her eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you two?" she demanded.

"What is wrong with _us_? Excuse me, but we weren't the ones making out with complete strangers!" he retorted accusingly.

"And why should that even matter to the two of you?"

"Celia, you don't know him. He could be some psychopathic killer for all we know." he shot back.

"It doesn't matter; what or who he is, is none of your business! … OR yours!" she snapped, turning her wrath upon Wyatt.

"Celia," Wyatt began calmly, his older brother sense kicking in, "Chris is right, we don't know him. Not only could he be some psycho, but maybe even a demon. Did you think about that? Did you test him?"

She stared at him incredulously "Test him?!?" she shrieked, making Melinda wince. "Test him? What is he, a dog? And what makes you think he's a demon?"

"Well, you know your luck with…dating hasn't been that great lately you know?"

She gawked at him, open mouthed.

"Not just lately, it's pretty much been always," Chris put in.

"Oh my god! I can't believe you guys!"

"Well honestly Cecilia lets think about this. In the past few years, you've dated and/or fallen for: a demon, two warlocks, another demon…" Chris said, ticking them off on his fingers.

"A vampire," Wyatt added thoughtfully.

"Plus that guy who was a total jerk that you dated when you were a junior." Melinda said.

"Okay, I'm not sure what to be insulted about more? The fact that you think I have bad taste/judgment in men or that you think I'm some kind of slut with a sixth sense for bad guys!" she said angrily.

"Listen Celia, we just care about you, and we don't want to see you get burned again." Melinda said softly.

"Well. For your information, I don't care what you think, and I certainly don't need your approval! You…" her eyes shifted and widened.

"Demons!" she shouted at them.

Wyatt's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "You're calling us demons now? Listen, we were just expressing our concern for you, but if you're going to be like that…"

She cut him off, "No! Seriously, demons!" grabbing Chris's sweater and diving, pulling both boys down with her, behind the couch as a fire ball scorched the wall behind them.

"Oh," Wyatt said sheepishly as he rolled over and peeked his head around the couch. "Sorry."


	5. demons continued

**Ok, so I'm really really sorry this took so long. I've had some things I had to deal with, and I had writers block. But here are the next to chapters for your enjoyment!**

**-Also, there may have been some changes that don't make sense, I'm not sure; its been a long time. But I'll fix them!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own charmed.**

CH-5

"We'll finish this later!" Cecilia snapped back at him.

Chris stood and telekinetically threw a fire ball back at one of them and it exploded with a shriek of agony, and then he ducked back down behind the couch.

"Any friends of yours?" he asked them panting.

"Nope, don't recognize any," Wyatt answered scanning the demons in the house. There was a hoard of them.

There was an angry yelp from Melinda across the room.

"You alright?" Wyatt called.

"No, I am not alright! Damn it! About two inches of my hair has been singed off! And it's in the front too!" she wailed angrily.

"Okay, everybody ou7t from behind the couch, take a demon, and we'll be done faster; there are about ten left." Chris ordered.

"9!" called Melinda as one burst into flames.

The three of them left the safety of the couch, Wyatt took on two at a time, Chris just going for the nearest. Cecilia went after one too, but used skill rather than magic. She slammed her foot into its chest and grabbed the leg from the broken table impaling him. But as this happened she was taken by surprise as another demon slammed her into the wall, hands clenched around her throat. She breathed heavily struggling.

"Celia! Use your powers!" Chris cried from across the room

Cecilia's eyes widened, "I can't…." she choked out in panic.

"Celia now is not the time to be on a magic strike! Honestly…" Wyatt called from the other side of the room, pausing momentarily to throw the demon off of her telekinetically, before turning back to his demon.

She gasped for air, hand to her throat. Making a fast decision, she flicked her hands and the whole room froze. If any neighbor had chosen to call upon the house, they would have come across a scene that was very strange indeed. They would most likely have run from the room screaming and either be locked up on suspicion of insanity or expose magic. But thankfully, no well wishing neighbors were about to enter the house.

Cecilia took in the room with a grimace. Chris was standing behind the couch, one hand outstretched as though to touch the on coming fireballs. She grimaced again when she realized that he would only be able to stop one and the new couch was to be the others' victim. Melinda was hovering in the air, one foot drawn back to viciously kick her foe. Her hair was sticking out in all directions, and the front was singed.

Wyatt had been knocked onto his back, an atheme inches from his heart. His demon, on the Brightside was mid-vanquish. So that was three demons down, two left, one was mid-shimmer, there was nothing she could do about that one. She took the crystals and put them in a circle around the other demon. She surveyed the room and nodded, ready to unfreeze, but stopped, a feeling of inner turmoil mounting. She walked over to Wyatt, and pushed the dagger away from him. Then she unfroze the room.

Cecilia's powers worked in a strange way. No-one did not understand them, nor did Celia have a huge amount of control over them. The one thing she could do at this point in time was freeze. But unlike Piper, she could freeze EVERYTHING. Even good witches and she had never encountered a demon that she couldn't freeze. Little did she know, that the time was coming swiftly when her destiny would come a knockin'.

After the room unfroze, within a minute there were three demons down. Wyatt looked to her, "Did you stop that atheme?"

"Yup,"

"You know, that is so creepy, that you could freeze everything. We would never know." Wyatt said with a grin.

She smirked at him, "What, afraid I'll freeze you in the middle of the night, and have my way with you?"

Wyatt rolled his eyes, but inside his stomach was in knots.

"Uh, guys, hello! Demon waiting to be interrogated, does that ring a bell? I'm sure he has things to do, places to be. We can't just keep him waiting forever. Not to mention that I start work/school in the morning, and Mel has school; and I would like to get this over with so I can get to bed early. Chris said tapping his foot.

"Yeah, you guys can flirt more later," Melinda giggled.

"WE weren't flirting!" Cecilia said, her cheeks flushing red.

"Yeah, okay…now to the demon inside the crystals," Chris replied impatiently.

"Ok, ok." Wyatt sighed, turning to the demon. "Who sent you?"

The demon in the circle had human form, but his eyes glowed an eerie color of red. He remained silent, glowering at them

Just then, the silence was broken as the phone rang. The four of them exchanged glances.

"Erm… I'll get it," Melinda said.

"Hello? … Oh, hi Aunt Piper…well, yea ok. Hey can I have them call you back. We're a little busy…what? Demons? No, give us some credit, I mean it's only our first day away from home….ok, love you too. Bye bye." She hung up.

"Okay, who sent you?" Chris asked, turning back to the demon, all business.

"Like I'd tell you," he sneered.

"Okay, we'll be doing this the hard way then, I take it?" Wyatt asked, moving one of the crystals, shocking the demon.


End file.
